UP system faces P2.5-B cut in proposed 2023 budget; P893-M slashed from PGH

MANILA, Philippines — The proposed 2023 budget for the University of the Philippines (UP) system has decreased by almost P2.5 billion, the National Expenditures Program (NEP) from the executive branch shows.

Copies of the NEP uploaded on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) website on Monday showed that under Volume I covering the state universities and colleges (SUCs), the UP system gets a proposed P23.10 billion funding for 2023.

This is lower than the P25.60 billion that was included in the 2022 budget.

But aside from that, the proposed budget for the Philippine General Hospital under the UP system also went down by P893 million.

While the provision for medical indigents did not change, which remained at P518.2 million, the Hospital Services Program went down from P6.305 billion in 2022 to just P5.412 billion in 2023.

This decrease in funding came despite both sectors — education and health — getting a huge chunk of the proposed P5.268 trillion budget, first under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s term.

Earlier, after the House of Representatives formally received the proposed 2023 national budget from the Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said that the administration would like to focus on education, healthcare, and food security — in accordance with Marcos’ policies.

The education sector’s budget increased from P788.5 billion in 2022 to P852.8 billion in 2023; health from P268.4 billion to P296.3 billion; and agriculture from P132.2 billion to P184.1 billion.

Budget deliberations are expected to start within the week, with the House committee on appropriations tackling per agency briefings.  Despite the tight schedule, most leaders are optimistic that the budget will be approved by September 30, or before Congress goes into a recess.

READ: DBM chief vows to hand Congress P5.268-T 2023 budget by Aug. 22

je/abc